In Person - at the corner of 1000 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy and Linn Station Rd.
Presented by: Heather Potter
The Samuel M. Plato and Lusby Family Photograph Collections offer fascinating insight into the rise of two middle-class Black families in early 20th century Louisville. Samuel M. Plato was a prominent architect at a time when his profession had few Black members. The Plato collection is rich not only as a window into middle-class life, but also into Plato’s architectural style. The story of Thaddeus Stevens Lusby Sr. parallels that of Plato. Born a slave and raised on a tobacco farm, Lusby moved to Louisville after emancipation and gained success as a builder and contractor. The story of these families intersects when one of Lusby’s daughters, Nettie, marries Samuel Plato.
Heather Potter, MLS
Heather Potter is the Curator Manuscripts at the Filson Historical Society; prior she was a Project Archivist at the Kentucky Historical Society for the Kentucky Folklife Archives and the former Curator of Photographs and Prints at the Filson Historical Society. Heather received her BA in History from Washburn University, Topeka, Kansas, and an MLS with an emphasis in Archives from Indiana University – Bloomington. Heather has worked over a decade at the Filson, focusing on collecting, preserving, and providing access to the Filson’s visual materials collection and recently transitioned into overseeing the manuscript collection. In addition, she is an advocate for the preservation of family photograph and paper collections. She specializes in 19th century photography and caring for family photographs and papers. Her research interests include Mammoth Cave, World War I, and Genealogy & Family History.